Is changing an iconic character's race or gender a good or bad thing?

@izzythepush,

What about soap operas and their male stereotypes?
The thing about Marvel comics that points exactly to the case you are making is the prevalent core theme, War, a male thing. Well at least regarding the style of war they portray...

1 Reply

@Fil Albuquerque,

I don't watch soaps, not since my wife died. I don't have a clue what's going on in them anymore.

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@izzythepush,

I am sorry for your loss.
I see some soap operas with mine and debate the social ballet n she agreed on watching "The Expanse" paying full attention while I give it a close summary of the science and small details...we both happy with the deal. She lets me game also no complaints. Lucky bastard me!

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@Fil Albuquerque,

It was back in 2004, so I'm over it, but thanks anyway. Not having to watch soap operas is one of the few pluses, as is bringing up the kids my way, and farting in bed.

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@izzythepush,

I am sorry for your loss.
I see some soap operas with mine and debate the social ballet n she agreed on watching "The Expanse" paying full attention while I give her a close summary of the science and small details...we both happy with the deal. She lets me game also no complaints. Lucky bastard me!

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@izzythepush,

Editing "it" for "her" cause my brain is a stubborn monkey ended up double posting.
Kids in bed even with the "creative fumes" is cool me thinks.

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@Fil Albuquerque,

I must admit I don't know what the expanse is, unless you're talking about middle aged spread. I try not to watch that too closely.

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@izzythepush,

In case you are not joking n saying you don't eat it...this is a mix of Galactica with Game of Thrones. A tad less solid script wise but still smart.

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@Fil Albuquerque,

Never seen it. I don't know if it's even shown over here.

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@izzythepush,

I've just googled it, currently it's only available over here on Netflix. I don't get that, but I'll keep an eye out for when it comes to ordinary TV.

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BBC article on this today. Posted in entirety but link shows tweets pro and con not posted below.

Quote:

A boss at Marvel has blamed a fall in sales on its move towards more diverse characters.

David Gabriel, who's vice president of sales, claims readers are "turning their noses up" at diversity and don't "want female characters out there".

Comic book sales have been falling at the company since October.

But some fans argue it's actually rebooted and complicated storylines putting them off instead.
In the last few years. Marvel's brought in more gay, non-white and female characters.

But many are new versions of old characters and some fans aren't happy about that.

They include a female Thor, a mixed-race Spider-Man, a black teenager who took over the Iron Man story and a Muslim Ms Marvel.

Iceman also came out as gay.
In 2015, figures suggested the female version of Thor was outselling the original male title.

But at the latest Marvel retailer summit, Gabriel said sellers had told him fans were sticking to old favourites.

"What we heard was that people didn't want any more diversity," he said. "That's what we heard, whether we believe that or not.
"I don't know that that's really true, but that's what we saw in sales.

"Any character that was diverse, any character that was new, our female characters, anything that was not a core Marvel character, people were turning their nose up."

Gabriel later released a clarifying statement, saying some retailers felt some core Marvel heroes were being abandoned.

He also argued there was a fan base for adapted characters like Ms Marvel and Miles Morales.
"We have also been hearing from stores that welcome and champion our new characters and titles and want more," he said.

"Let me be clear, our new heroes are not going anywhere.

"We are proud and excited to keep introducing unique characters that reflect new voices and new experiences into the Marvel universe."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/39487917/marvel-boss-says-move-towards-more-diverse-characters-is-killing-sales

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@tsarstepan,

I think its a very hard decision for an actor to take. It can make or destroy an actors career. Some actors have successfully played such characters and people liked them.

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@Fil Albuquerque,

I just finished the first book of The Expanse, and it was pretty much Season 1 and Season 2 of the tv show with what I'm assuming are elements from the 2nd book in the series.

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Don't think its a good thing cause as comic and cartoon fan, this is hurting me.

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@Lydia Thomas,

My heart bleeds. The underrepresentation of ethnic minorities and GBLT people in popular culture is a serious issue that needs to be addressed, far more important that the sensibilities of a couple of delicate flowers resistant to change.

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@izzythepush,

izzythepush wrote:

My heart bleeds. The underrepresentation of ethnic minorities and GBLT people in popular culture is a serious issue that needs to be addressed, far more important that the sensibilities of a couple of delicate flowers resistant to change.

At the same time I think it's silly to force injection of them into roles which don't really make sense for it.

Another aspect that I find silly, is this recent push to have a "Black" only Oscar award. Doesn't this promote segregation? So if they do this, is there going to be an "Asian" only award? "Hispanic" only award? So on and so forth? Yet there will be the standard categories that everyone is equally able to win? That means then these racial only entries have twice as many chances to win.

It's like they want to get around a problem by creating a new problem. I see the same issue when people say there needs to be more LGBT roles in movies. NO. The story should be what it is, it shouldn't be forced just because you want to have more there. It becomes silly and almost comical when it's forced.

Here is an example. They are going to make a movie based on the life of Queen Elizabeth. But lets make Queen Elizabeth black and a transgender so we have more minorities and LGBT roles. That is silly.

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@izzythepush,

Quote:

My heart bleeds.

I'm not sure you have one...

Quote:

The underrepresentation of ethnic minorities and GBLT people in popular culture is a serious issue that needs to be addressed, far more important that the sensibilities of a couple of delicate flowers resistant to change.

What do you mean by "underrepresentation"? Do you mean by a proportion of what is represented in the public? I don't know the situation in the UK, but here in the US that isn't the problem. Minorities and LGBT are very prominent on TV and the movies. In fact Will & Grace has even returned with the original cast, can't say I enjoy the political side of the comedy but I still laugh at a majority of what goes on with the show.

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Is changing an iconic character's race or gender a good or bad thing?

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